Printing die protection means



June 18, 1940. J. w. OGDEN PRINTING DIE PROTECTION MEANS Filed June 9,1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN T OR. \faao h/ 0 4 6 A TTORNEY.

J. W. OGDEN 2,204,968

PRINTING DIE PROTECTION MEANS Filed June 9, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4INVENTOR.

L/aico M09 4 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 18, 1940 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFHCE Jacob W. Ogden,Springdale, Comp, assignor to Pitney-Bowes Postage Meter 00., Stamford,

Conn, a corporation of Delaware Application June 9, 1938, SeriaLNo.212,647

1 .Claim.

This invention relates to a rotary printing device which is adapted toprint an impression, the detail of which will be different when thedevice is operated during a normal power printing operation from that ofan impression which is taken from the printing die when it is in a restposition.

The invention is particularly related to a metered mailing machine suchas used for the printing of postage stamp impressions upon mail matter,wherein the printing die includes an indicia, postmark and valueprinting portions.

In view of the fact that in the normal order of printing stampimpressions by means of a metered mailing machine, the value of eachimpression is registered through the operation of totalizing mechanismconcealed within a meter unit, some means is provided for the protectionof the printing die to prevent the taking of impressions therefromwithout first actuating the totalizing mechanism. Various devicescommonly known as die protectors have been in use for this purpose.

In the device of the present invention, a novel form of die protectionis offered without the use of die protection devices, in that the dieface is engraved in such manner that an impression taken therefrom,while in a rest position, will present a distorted appearance, and suchan impression would be easily identified as fraudulent by postalinspectors. But, While it would be impossible to take a normalimpression with the printing die in a rest position, the distortedportions of the die will disappear in an impression which is taken whenthe machine is operated under normal power conditions. The result isaccomplished by altering the relative speed between the drive of theprinting die and an impression roller which cooperates therewith or themail feed means.

It is one object of the invention therefore to provide in a rotaryprinting device, means where by an impression taken under power willdiffer in detail from an impression taken from the printing die while itis in a rest position.

It is another object to provide a printing die with a normally distorteddie face, which, when the relative speed between the drive of theprinting die and that of an associated drive means is different, thedistorted surface will be controlled so as to print a normal undistortedstamp impression.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds,

55 the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of partsandin the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, itbeing understood that various changes in the precise embodiment of theinvention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what isclaimed without departing from the spirit of the invention. a Apreferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, where- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a metered mailing ma-. chinegenerally indicating the printing devices and drive members;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of Fig. 1;

Fig, 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view-of av variable speed drive means; i

Fig. 5 is a face view showing the result of an impression taken from aprinting die while in its rest position, and which particularlyillustrates the distorted nature of the impression; and,

Fig. 6 is a View similar to that shown in Fig. 5, showing a stampimpression printed by the printing die under power.

Referring to Fig. 1, the machine disclosed includes a rotary printingmember it! and an impression roller ll, each of which may be driven froma power driven pulley l2 through a bevel gear drive 53 and spur gear It.

Letter feed means is also provided which comprises feed rollers l5.having a driving connection with the spur gear M, which feed means isadapted to convey a letter indicated at L, to the printing andimpression rollers. Before the letter L reaches the printing andimpression rollers, it engages a tripping member is, which throughsuitable clutch control means is adapted totrip a clutch memberindicated at ll. The letter L, upon engaging the printing and impressionmembers, will receive the printed indicia stamp and postmark impressionsshown in Fig. 6, and will then be removed by means of driven rollers l8! 8 to suitable stacker means. The printing of the stamp indicia andpostmark impressions are effected by means of the indicia die l9 andpostmark die 2!, which are carried by the rotary printing die ill.

Also during the printing cycle of operation the value of the stampprinted will be automatically registered in a suitable totalizer unitwhich is sealed within a meter unit 22, the said totalizer unit beingcontrolled by the drive indicated at 23.

The foregoing mechanism is well known in the art of metered mailingmachines and further description is not deemed necessary.

Referring now to the particular means for ac complishing the result ofthis invention, the indicia and postmark printing dies l9 and 2| havetheir printing surfaces specially designed and engraved so as to producea distorted impression of the character shown in Fig. 5. Here it will benoted that the postmark is oval shaped and that the stamp is greater inits horizontal dimension than that of the impression shown in Fig. 6. Itwill also be noted that the vertical lines are given less thickness thanthe horizontal lines. Said shape and thickness of the vertical linesproduce the distorted appearance previously referred to, which, if animpression were fraudulently taken therefrom, could be easilyidentified. Such a distorted impression will not result however, whenthe article or mail to be printed is passed through the machine during anormal machine cycle of operation.

The controlling means for changing what would normally be a facsimile ofthe form of the indicia and postmark dies or distorted impression of theform shown in Fig. 5, to a normal indicia and postmark stamp impressionof the form shown in Fig. 6, comprises the driving of the rotaryprinting member It at a greater speed than that of the impression rollerll. This speed ratio is produced, as best shown in Fig. 3, by the driveof gears 26 and 25. The gear 2 which is associated with the impressionroller H, is of larger diameter than the gear25, which is fixed to ashaft 26 which carries the printing member ID. The gear 24 is driventhrough the spur gear drive M from the main drive l2|3.

The ratio of said gears 24 and 25 will effect an increased speed ofrotation of the printing membar which obviously will effect a slightskid of the die printing surface over the article which is beingprinted. But, when designing the vertically disposed lines of theprinting dies, allowance is made for the skid and the resultingimpression is reduced to a normal well proportioned stamp impressionwith lines of substantially even weight.

While the increased speed of the printing die will effect a reduction inthe horizontal dimension of the printed impression, it is apparent thata decrease in the speed of the printing die will result in an increasein the horizontal dimension and that the line design of the die must beadjusted accordingly.

By substituting a pair of elliptical gears 27, 28 for the spur gears 24,25, it is possible to vary the speed of rotation of the printing memberwith relation to the speed of the feed rollers, to thereby effect avariable skid which may be found desirable in some forms of stampdesign.

Having described the invention, what is claimed In a device for printinga postmark and indicia stamp upon letters, a rotary printing memberhaving a postmark die and an indicia die thereon, said postmark diecomprising an oval configuration, an impression roller, and a drive forsaid rotary printing member to rotate same at a speed which is greaterthan the speed of the impression roller, whereby the printed impressionof the oval shaped postmark die will become circular shaped and theindicia impression will be proportionately shorter than the indiciaprinting die.

JACOB W. OGDEN.

